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Cayetano: Kona If gambling is allowed in Hawaii, it should be at only one casino, preferably built along the Kona coast of the Big Island, Gov. Ben Cayetano says.
coast good site
for lone casino
If legalized, gambling should
only be allowed at one remote
location, the governor saysBy Richard Borreca
Star-BulletinIn discussions with reporters yesterday at the state Capitol, Cayetano said that unlike some gambling critics, he didn't consider gambling to be a moral issue, but instead a question of whether there are more good points than bad points to any proposal.
Opponents of legalized gambling are planning a rally and informational briefing at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Capitol.
Citing a national study pointing to links between gambling and "family strife, abuse, domestic violence and neglect," the Hawaii Coalition Against Legalized Gambling is calling for the Legislature to reject plans to legalize gambling in return for hundreds of millions of dollars to be dedicated to free college tuition for Hawaii students.
"It is a moral issue for me, it is not honest work for honest pay," said Janis Koh, coalition board member, who said she is representing the Mormon Church.
"They (gambling lobbyists) always cover it with scholarships and such, but we don't ever want to be victimized," she said.
Cayetano said he isn't morally opposed to gambling and has proposed pari-mutuel gambling and lotteries in the past.
But he said he doesn't want Hawaii to become like Las Vegas, with slot machines all over town.
"If people are talking about opposing gambling on moral grounds, we have a difference of opinion.
"I don't think gambling has anything to do with morality," Cayetano said, adding that 48 states have forms of gambling.
Cayetano is interested in the process and whether the Legislature could approve a bill that would allow the state to negotiate or auction off a single casino license.
That license should be awarded to a relatively remote area, he said.
For instance, Cayetano said, he would not approve of a bill that permitted a casino to be operated in Waikiki.
He said the best spot would be along the Big Island's Kona Coast.
At tomorrow's rally, the coalition against gambling will have several prominent people discuss their opposition to legalized gambling: David McClain, University of Hawaii College of Business dean; Bruce McCullough, former regional director of the Social Security Administration; the Rev. Frank Chong, executive director of the Waikiki Health Center, and U.S. Attorney Steven Alm.
Also opposing gambling measures is the Honolulu Police Department.
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